The saga of Iorwerth Foel (2)

After his desertion of Prince Llywelyn ap Gruffudd in 1278, Iorwerth drops out of sight for the next twenty years. He re-emerges in 1298 as a centenar (mounted officer) in charge of the footsoldiers of Anglesey between November 1297-November 1298. Iorwerth shared his command with three other centenars: Dafydd Foel (possibly a relative), Tudur Ddu - “Black Tudor” - and William Thloyt or Lloyd. The relevant muster roll is attached below.

These men were among the infantry of North Wales raised over the winter of 1297-8 to defend the northern counties of England against Sir William Wallace. Of the 30,000 men of Wales and England summoned to defend the north, only those raised from Anglesey and Snowdon came near to filling their quota: 2000 were summoned and 1939 actually showed up, which was extremely unusual for this campaign.

This meant that Edward I had two Welsh armies in the field at the same time: 6213 archers under his personal command in Flanders, and a total of 5157 in northern England under the command of Earl Warenne. The captain of the Welsh contingent, Gruffudd Llwyd, served under Warenne from 8 December 1297 to 29 January 1298, and was then sent to Flanders from January to March.

Gruffudd was not present at the Battle of Falkirk, fought on 22 August 1298. Iorwerth’s term of service covers the time of the battle, so he may have been present on the killing fields:

“And so the Welsh were held back from attacking the Scots, until the King triumphed and the Scots fell everywhere, like the flowers of the forest as the fruit grows. Then said the King, "If the Lord be with us, who shall be against us?" The Welsh straightway fell upon the Scots and laid them low, so greatly that their corpses covered the field, like the snow in winter.” -

William of Rishanger, Chronica et Annales